Floating structure.



G. A. WIELAND. FLOATING STRUCTURE. APPLICATION FILED 00T.11, 1901.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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G. A. WIELAND. FLOATING STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED our. 11, 1907.

1,004,718. Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

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WITNESSES.-

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GEORGE ALBERT WIELAND, OFDULUTH, MINNESOTA.

FLOATING STRUCTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

Application filed October 11, 1907. Serial No. 396,979.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. l/VIELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating Structures, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in floating structures, and pertains more particularly to a structure adapted to be used as a breakwater.

The object of my invention is to provide a floating structure which is so constructed that it will normally remain in an upright position, and thus relieve the tow or anchor cables from any strain by a rolling action of the structure. v

Another object of my invention is to provide a floating structure of as simple and durable a construction as possible, and one that may be used for a great many diiferentpurposes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a top plan view of a floating structure embodying my invention, and being anchored and used as a breakwater. Fig. 2, is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a broken horizontal sectional view of one end. Fig. l, is a vertical transverse sectional view of a modified form of the interior structure of the device. Fig. 5, is a vertical transverse sectional view of another modified form of the interior of the device. Fig. 6, is a vertical transverse sectional view of a still further modified form of the interior structure of the device. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show different forms of the arrangement of the structure when completed.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a shell or casing, preferably made of planking in a cylindrical form, and held together by suitable iron bands or hoops 2, and said shell or casing being Water tight. The ends of the cylindrical casing to be formed in any desired shape, and made either of wood or iron. I have shown an iron end 3 in Fig. 3, formed with an inwardly projecting flange or rim 4 to which the planking of the casing 1 is secured, or the entire outer casing may be made of metal and lined with any desired thickness of wood.

The shell or casing 1 is designed to be filled, or partly filled with some material lighter than water, such as wood, in any form, or any like material to make a solid strong buoyant mass. To accomplish this I prefer to use wood in the form of logs or timbers, as they can be nicely arranged, packed, and fastened within the casing to form a solid strong unit, and the spaces between such logs or timbers I propose to fill with a material such as tar, or tar and sawdust mixed, or tar and cork-dust mixed, or any other suitable material, any of which will tend to pack and unite the mass and at the same time render it as nearly water proof as possible. Another object in using this form of filling is that various sized logs or poles may be used, and a cheaper grade of material made use of in this way than possible in any othor,-and again, such logs or poles could easily be treated to some tar or like material in a manner to render them water-proof before being assembled in the mass as shown. To further secure and bind the mass I have shown cross tie rods 5 pass ing entirely through the same, with eyelets 6 on the outside of the casing, to which are secured the anchor chains 7 carrying the anchors 8, whereby the device is held fast when used as a breakwater. It is evident that any number of these tie rods could be used for binding the structure, leaving the eyelets off of some of them, as desired. In order to keep the structure right side up, and prevent any rolling action which would be a heavy strain upon the anchor chain, I have shown in Figs. 2 a lot of larger logs or poles at the upper part as indicated at 9, which forms larger intermediate spaces 10 which are not filled with a filling, and thus form air spaces, making the upper portion lighter, which will at all times hold the structure in the same position. These air spaces may have a pipe connection 12, and by this arrangement water could be'allowed to enter the space for lowering the structure. Compressed air could also be forced into the air spaces through the pipe 12 which would tend to raise the structure above the normal position if desired.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the hollow space as composed of three separate compartments 13, 14 and 15, all of which communicate with the exterior through the medium of suitable pipes 16 which extend through the working deck or platform 17. Any of these compartments may be used for cargo and the other for ballast as desired, or in the eventof wanting to turn the structure up side down for repairs, or any other purpose, one of the side compartments could be filled with water which would list the structure to that side, when the center and other comparments could be filled, and thus the entire structure turned bottom side up, as the heavier side would remain down.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the hollow compartment as being cylindrical, and located directly in the center of the structure. This compartment may be divided by a deck 20 so that the under side may be used for ballast and the upper half for cargo space or supplies of any kind, and this hollow space may be divided transversely into any number of compartments as desired, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, so that in event of the structure being broken in two it will still float and remain serviceable.

In Fig. 6 the central hollow portion is shown divided horizontally by the partition 21, the lower half 22 communicating with the water by means of pipes 23, and the upper port-ion 2i communicating with the exterior above the working deck 25 by means of a pipe 26 through which air may be forced to discharge the water from the space 22 and thus raise the structure, or the letting out of air from the hold to admit the water and allow the structure to lower. The pipes are provided with suitable valves for controlling the air within the compartments.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I have shown modified arrangements of breakwaters, formed of the structure set forth in my application, and while I have shown in all the forms the structure as being cylindrical, it will be understood that this form may be greatly varied without departing from the invention.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a floating structure that can be large and strong, so that when used as a breakwater the seas can have but little effect upon it, and also one that can be used for many other purposes, such as carrying supplies or the like in the heaviest seas with perfect safety.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat out, is

1. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively water-tight elongated case having a material therein lighter than water with air spaces between the said material.

2'. A floating structure of the character described comprising a water tight casing having a material therein lighter than water with air spaces between the said material.

3. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively water-tight casing, partially filled with a compact mass of material.

t. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively water-tight elongated casing partially filled with a compact mass of material.

5. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively tight elongated casing partially filled with a compact mass of material, and the unfilled space of the casing forming holds for the purpose set forth.

6. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively tight elongated casing having its lower portion filled with a compact mass of material, and its upper port-ion filled with a material lighter than water.

7. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively tight elongated casing having its lower portion filled with a compact mass of material, and the upper port-ion having spaces forming holds and having passages communicating with the upper side of the casing.

8. A floating structure of the character described, comprising a comparatively water-tight elongated casing, and logs or poles within the casing and extending longitudinally thereof.

9. A floating structure comprising a comparatively tight casing having its lower end filled. with wood and a filling between said wood to form a compact mass, and a filling of wood above said compact mass with air spaces between said wood.

10. A floating structure of the character described comprising a comparatively tight casing partially filled with a compact mass of material and the portion above the compact mass communicating with the outside of the casing.

11. A floating structure of the character described comprising a comparatively tight elongated casing partially fill-ed with poles having a compact mass between said poles, and the upper vacant portion forming holds having openings communicating with the outside of the casing.

12. A floating structure comprising a comparatively water-tight casing filled with poles or logs having air spaces between the poles or logs in the'upper part of the easing, and the space between the poles or logs in the lower part of the casing filled with a compact mass of material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE ALBERT WIELAND.

Witnesses:

S. GEO. STEVENS, DONALD MOLENNAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

